The Perfect Day!

Today was THE perfect day! Crazy, insanely hot out...but we had so much summer fun :)  Liam and I were up pretty early, and we headed out after a quick breakfast to go pick up Pauline and Addy.  We took Chloe and the kiddies for an early morning walk to Timmies to grab some much needed Iced Capps (seriously...MUCH needed! lol).  By the time we got home we could already tell that it was going to be a sweltering day out.  So we got Chloe all situated at my place, packed up the van and headed out to the beach.  WOO Beach Day!!!  There was only one other Mom and bebe there, so we had the whole place basically to ourselves (the other little girl, named Shea, was in love with Liam and Addy). 

Liam, as always, had to sit back for a little bit to take it all in.  By the time we left the beach he was playing up a storm, but my little man takes a little bit to warm up to new situations.  Plus he is teething like a mad man these days, so his temperament has been a little off.  He love, love, loved playing in the sand...burying his feet and legs in the coolness of it.  And I could see the joy in his face each time he discovered something new..like the way the sand felt falling through his little fingers, or the way the mud squished in between his toes.  Is there anything better than watching your child experience the world on his own two feet?  Normal, everday things just seem all sparkly and new again. Thanks buddy, for showing me the way! 

Miss Addy is a "jump right on in" kinda gal.  As soon as she spotted the water, she was off.  She pretty much hiked right on in, despite how freezing cold it was, and got a little peed off when she realized how dang frigid it was.  She was on the go, go, go all morning long.  I think she's a beach girl for sure.

It is so much fun for me to watch how well my boy gets along with Addy.  They are so blessed to have one another, and I am thankful for Pauline and Addy ever single day.  Liam and Addy's personalities mesh SO well together...and they are just so funny when they are interacting nowadays.  Best pals for sure.

After our fun at the beach, we headed our seperate ways to give the kiddies some lunch and a chance to nap.  Liam didn't eat much..probably due to it being so hot out...and didn't sleep much, probably due to the same thing.  I called Pauline at about 4 to say that we were taking the kids out to Kelseys for supper (air conditioning and not having to cook...perfect plan!).  It is mine and Bill's 3rd anniversary today, and since Bill is still out in the field, Pauline was his stand in for supper out. lol.  The kids were both pretty darn hyper, but we had a good meal anyways.

 Addy likes to share...and Liam likes to eat.  It's a friendship made in heaven!

This post would not be complete without a little homage paid to my wonderful husband.  Bill and I have been "together" for 5 years now...married for 3...and I feel so wonderfully thankful to have him beside me on this journey.  We fight, and whine, and cry....but we go to bed every night loving each other.  And that's what matters.  He still compliments me each and every day, he is a wonderful father, he loves his family, he works so damn hard to take care of Liam and I...he is just amazing.  And I am reminded today about how lucky I am to have found him.

 From those early, lovely, carefree "dating" days...ok, not so carefree. We were both working full time, and I was finishing up my B.A. at Carleton U.

 To our awesome summer weekends spent at the cottage...falling more and more in love.

 To moving in together and our first apartment in Ottawa (this is us walking to Starbucks on New Years Day)

To truly, madly, deeply falling in love and getting engaged on Christmas Eve.

And to living Happily Ever After. 

Bill, you are my rock, and I love you more everyday.  Here's to SO many more years of love, adventure and happiness (and one year closer to our 10th Anniversary where we will renew our vows in Hawaii...ALOHA!! lol).  Love you.







One sick toddler = One tired mommy

My son is sick, sick, sick with a cold...which makes me sad, sad, sad because there is not too much that I can do for him.  Bill left yesterday bright and early for an 11 day field training exercise, and wouldn't ya know it?  Liam fell ill that same night!  The last time Bill left for an extended amount of time, Liam got a really nasty stomach bug that lasted for almost the whole week.  Sometimes the universe has a mean sense of humor!

Last night my lil man was up from 11pm onwards, in 30 minutes intervals.  I have never been one for co-sleeping (not making ANY sorta comment on it one way or the other...I think it's great to do if it works for your family),  Bill and I just move around too much as it is (me especially..I can never seem to get comfortable).  But last night after the 6th unsuccessful time trying to get LiLi to sleep in his own crib, I totally caved and brought him in to sleep with me.  I figured since Bill was gone it would be okay.  And it worked for about 2 hours.  Then 6am rolled around, and that was it.  We were up.  So I stumbled us downstairs, turned on some VERY early cartoons, made some toast and peanut butter...and we chilled like that for a few hours. 

I know the only reason he wasn't sleeping was because he is so congested, he just couldn't breathe, and I feel for him.  But boy oh boy...sick days..alone with a toddler...are THE longest days ever!!!!! I felt like it was 10 o'clock every time I looked at a clock.  The seconds just ticked by as I wiped the endlessly runny nose, filled the sippy cup over and over, and thought of things to do inside on this rainy, crummy, cold day (that didn't involve my son watching Handy Manny ALL day long..I'm actually starting to see re-runs..it's that bad! Have I failed parenting one-oh-one? ) 

In the end, we survived.  Liam had a couple of very short naps which gave me a little time to recoup.  We did puzzles, built block towers, colored with crayons, emptied the pot cupboard (lil monkey loves to do that!)..and I even somehow managed to make oatmeal and shortbread cookies.  BooYA! lol (Forgive me..I live on an army base).  I gave him a warm vapor bath, put some vapor rub on his feet and chest, put some saline in his nose and, blah, squeegeed it out, gave him some Tylenol Cold and Flu for babies, dressed him nice and comfy, gave him some water, and even put a small pillow in his crib with him for the first time (makes me a leetttllle nervous, but many friends of mine have told me how well their children do with it).  Fingers crossed this momma gets some sleep tonight.

Not a pic from today..but he looks darn cute so I'm posting it in lieu of the runny nose boy today.

P.S.  Sorry for the sicky post.  I swear..my brain is so tired today that even if I wanted to write about something more interesting, the theme song from Max and Ruby would pour out!

Welcome to the world Blake :)

For the second time this spring, I am a new aunty.  I would like to officially announce that I have my first NEPHEW!  Blake Harvey Vieau was born on May 4th, 2011 at 9:50 pm.  He weighed in at 10lbs 7oz and was 22 inches long.

My sister-in-law, Kathy, was due to deliver Blake via scheduled c-section on May 12th.  But due to high blood pressure, and Blake's obvious readiness for the world, she was admitted to the hospital on May 4th.  Blake arrived that evening to the joy of all of this family.  Liam and I made the drive to Ottawa 2 days after his birth, and were able to visit him in the hospital on Friday evening.  I was a little worried about bringing Liam to the hospital due to his high energy levels these days, but my mom and dad lent a hand and I was able to hold the bebe for a little while.  Blakester is the CUTEST lil thing ever.  He has these sweet chubby cheeks, great skin coloring, and the cutest lil lips.  I feel so blessed to have three wonderful nieces and nephews now :)

Liam and I stayed in Ottawa for the weekend to visit with all of our family that was down to meet Blake.  On Friday night we visited with Aunt Mary, Uncle Gary and Kelsey.  Kelsey just returned from a year long trip to Europe where she went to school.  It was SO fun going through all of her pictures.  Amazing to see all of the awesome sites she got to visit!  I am a little (oh ok... a LOT) jealous! lol.

On Saturday we sort of hung around my Grams and Gramps house for most of the day.  My Uncle Dave and his partner Gary arrived, so we were super happy to get to see them.  Liam always seems to take right to Uncle Dave...by the end of their time together they are the best of pals.  There is SO much outdoor space to play in at my grams house, so Liam is in his glory pushing a little baby carriage around and exploring the yard.  I love to just sit back and watch him taking everything in.  On Saturday we also made a "fun" trip to Bayshore to see if we could buy a litle lawnmower for Liam to play with.  I loaded Liam up in the van and took off.  It took us forever in Zellers to find someone/anyone who knew about the toy department, just to find out that they had already sold out of the lawnmowers.  So I figured that we would just explore the mall a little bit since I am mall-deprived in Petawawa.  Children's Place was a bit of a bust (I already have the cutest things from there...lol), as was Baby Gap (the cutest things were WAY to expensive for this momma currently).  I thought we would do one last stop at HomeSense....bad idea....Liam had had enough of the oh so hot mall and started to get really fussy.  I didn't finf anything the whole trip that I wanted to buy, except for a super cute little cooler for Liams friend Addy.  Ah well. 

Sunday it was time to drive back home...and it was also my second Mother's Day.  I got spoiled by getting the chance to sleep in a little bit (my dad and Grandpa took control of Liam...though I think the love it just as much as he does...boy time).  My grandpa walked to Timmies so I had an iced capp waiting for me when I woke up (LOVE him), and my Uncle Dave and Gary made an awesome breakfast for us all.  Very good morning!  And Liam was in his glory being loved on by all of his family.  After breakfast and a little hurried packing, we were off.  We stopped at IKEA and Michaels to do a little browsing (the couch Bill and I want from IKEA is now a $100 cheaper..woohoo), and then we drove out to Matt and Kathys for one last Devy and Blake visit.  I am sad that I don't live a little closer as I had so much fun watching Liam and Devyn playing together!  I think they are going to be best friends growing up :)

Since we returned we have kept busy (as always!).  We have been going for daily walks with Pauline and Addy which is great for all of us.  The kids get out of the house, Chloe gets nice long walks, and Pauline and I get some exercise.  I am trying really hard lately to start living a more healthy lifestyle.  Eating better, drinking more water and far less pop, and upping the exercise.  Here's hoping that it pays off :)  Today we also stopped to let the kiddies play at the park.  Fun :)

Tomorrow it is suppposed to be gorgeous again, so we are heading out for another walk, and probably hitting up the beach for the first time this year.  Addy and Liam LOVE the play in the sand now, so I think they are going to be in their glory when they see that beach stretching out around them.  I feel like it is Christmas morning so often these days....whenever I know that I am about to show Liam something new and exciting.  I get that little flutter in the pit of my stomach, and I just can't wait for that moment of joy in his face.  Like the first time he saw that little lawnmower all put together (yes...I finally found one at the Zellers in Pembroke on our drive home on Sunday.  Made a little pit stop).  Bliss!

Yeah...this is about the nicest self-portrait I can get of the two of us.  At least he's not blurry in this one..my little mover!

P.S.  I got my Mother's Day gift in the mail today.  An Organic Ergo baby carrier.  Can you say EXCITED??   Can't wait to try it out!